Estimating of fast and slow shear waves

Optimization of hydraulic fracture treatments in tight gas reservoirs requires an in-depth understanding of the reservoir conditions. Elastic properties estimated with standard isotropic amplitude variation with offset (AVO) inversions can offer insight into areas that may be more susceptible to brittle deformation, but do not provide information regarding natural fracture networks or differential stress fields in the rock mass. A more complete characterization therefore requires estimates of anisotropy to account for these phenomena.